Jim Bathurst, Retired Marine Colonel and Author

Imagine being the executive assistant to the Marketing Division President of a Fortune 500 company, and the CEO periodically comes down from his ivory tower, walks by your desk, and never acknowledges you even exist. That is but one example of the leadership my wife witnessed while working in the corporate world.

I learned much in my 36 years as a Marine, but the ability to influence people in a positive way tops the list—I cannot imagine how some of the leadership examples she shared with me would lead to a strong or successful organization.